Mer Young is an Indigenous published multidisciplinary artist and creator of Metztli Citlali Invent. Her body of artwork are manifested in collages, drawings, paintings, and public artworks. She lives and works on the traditional lands of Tongva (Long Beach, CA). She is a BIPOC activist, steward of land and water and environmental justice advocate. Her artworks aim to inspire, celebrate and elevate Indigenous, Brown and Black communities.
Young contributed to ENCODED, an unsanctioned Augmented Reality (AR) exhibition featuring 17 Indigenous artists who overlaid digital artworks onto classic pieces in the American Wing of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Her digital pieces include, Deb Haaland (2021) TARGET: Taos Valley, New Mexico by Ernest Blumenschein (1933), Together, We Are Stronger (2020) TARGET: John Brown by John Steuart Curry (1939) and "We'wah Lhamana" (2025), is a captivating activation layered over Childe Hassam's 1918 painting "Avenue of the Allies", reclaiming space and expanding the visual representation of Indigenous peoples within the mainstream art world. The innovative AR showcase was highly celebrated and recognized, earning awards at the Webby Awards for Best Community Engagement and Best Use of Augmented Reality.
Mer's works have been included in numerous exhibitions nationally and internationally. Her public art works can be found in the East Village Arts District of Long Beach, CA, in The Sixth and Ninth District of Long Beach, CA, in The City of Glendale, CA, The City of South Pasadena, The City of San Pedro, The City of Paramount, The City of Anaheim, The City of Tustin, Alhambra Unified School District, Los Angeles Unified School District, CalState Long Beach, Design, Macon, Georgia, Art District of Los Angeles, The 3rd Ward in Houston, Texas and Niagara Falls, New York.
Young holds Associate Degrees in Fine Arts and Liberal Arts from Long Beach City College, a Teaching Artist Certificate from California State Los Angeles and received her Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree from The University of Southern California.
Other Places
Indigenous Artists Reclaim The Met’s American Wing
How Alaska Native Youth are protecting the land for their future
Do What You Love, The Rest Will Follow: An Interview with Indigenous Artist and Activist Mer Young
Dreaming of Indigenous Futures
Indigenous and Black Communities Find Common Cause for Land Justice
Stolen Lands: A Black and Indigenous History of Land Exploitation
Climate Justice: Black and Native Attention as Miracle
Indigenous Vision A Special Issue, Sept 2022
Yellowstone Reveals Its Indigenous Soul
The Problem, Practicality, and Power of Land Acknowledgments
Indigenous Activists Launch Political Art Campaign Ahead of the Election
Collage artwork for Indigeneity Conversations - Bioneers
The U.S. Launched a War Against Indigenous Children. My Father Survived.
The Fight to Free Leonard Peltier - Honoring Indigenous Culture & Heritage
Indigenous sovereignty and shared solidarity at heart of national art campaign
Best Digital Editorial Package & Best Arts & Culture Storytelling
Mer Young On Making Art to Respect Those Who Came Before Us